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MarTalk Connect is our Interview Series with marketing technology companies that are making a difference. Join us as we talk to them about their product journeys, insight on the categories they serve and some bonus protips!

SEO teams strive to stay abreast of latest changes and trends. Valuable content takes that effort the extra mile. Seth Besmertnik talks about the close connect between Search and Content Marketing while sharing interesting insights, predictions and tips

How closely linked are SEO strategy and content strategy?

They aren’t just linked -- they’re becoming the same. You can see that trend happening right now with marketing jobs this year.

It makes sense: you need great content, but is it really great if people don’t see it? If your content is visible but it isn’t valuable, can you really expect good results? Content and SEO are two sides of the same coin -- customer-first marketing.

How have you see the CMOs attitude to content and content metrics evolve over the last few years?

There’s a new sense of urgency. We’re seeing massive increases in content investments every year. It’s become nearly impossible to “buy” an audience, which means you have to earn their attention. Content is the only way to do that.

That said, content ROI is a major pain point for CMOs right now. Just 5.3% of enterprises say they can clearly show the impact of content on revenue. Because of that, content ROI is a major focus of R&D at Conductor.

What impact will the recent data protection and privacy measures globally have on content and inbound marketing strategies?

These measures make inbound more important. After all, the only way digital advertising works is by leveraging people’s personal information. Without that, it’s just not possible. Brands will need to increase investment in inbound forms of marketing to attract and understand customers. We are seeing this trend already.

How can marketers orchestrate their content in an omnichannel world to ensure a seamless brand experience across all channels?

Start with customers’ needs and problems. From there, create content and solutions that help them. Promote that across all your various channels. Center your strategy on helping a customer and solving their problems across as many channels as you can.

How can marketers keep abreast of the constant changes to Search algorithms? Should they be making regular tweaks to their content library to ensure it meets the changing needs?

100% no. What we tell our customers is there is only one ‘algorithm’ that matters: the heart, mind, and soul of their customer.

Focus on truly understanding customer needs and intent, and then research the best ways to create content to meet it. Are they looking for a video or an image? Short or long-form content? Ultimately, search engines promote the best piece of content based on what people want. If you create content for your customers, you will be found. And that content will be sustainable for years.

Chasing algorithms is a way of the past and AT BEST will provide short term success. Market to humans.

What mistakes do you see marketers make with their Search strategy? What – in your experience- is a good framework to develop an effective search strategy?

When marketers ask for budgets, they often don’t account for the time and money they’ll need to protect what they’ve built so far. They correlate resources to growth and forget that declines happen if you’re not investing in upkeep. Make sure you account for what you’re maintaining, not just the growth you’re planning.

They also don’t provide various options and outcomes when asking for budget. This makes it hard to get the investment they need to sustain and grow a modern organic marketing program.

What are your customers and prospects telling you? What pain points does Conductor help them address when it comes to a sustainable content marketing strategy?

Companies come to us because they want to get closer to their customers. We help them understand customer needs, create and improve content, and keep an eye on their online competitors.

We’ve consistently heard through the years that organic search is the best performing channel. Citibank says it’s 15% more likely to convert than their second best channel. It’s not surprising when you think about it. By definition, people are actively looking for information and motivated to engage with you.

What role does data and analytics play in developing an effective inbound strategy? How can CMOs ensure they are using it intelligently?

Analytics show you how people behave once they’re on your site. Search data shows you how they get there (and opportunities to draw more people in). The most important thing you can do is link the two datasets so that you get the full story. Make sure your search and analytics technologies are integrated.

How can smaller companies with limited resources leverage inbound marketing (search, content) to compete with enterprises?

The best content wins -- not the biggest budget. Take a look at our customer Madison Reed, which outperforms bigger companies just by understanding what customers are really looking for. For example, they outrank L'Oréal , Walmart, and Garnier for the high-value search term “hair dye.” Why? Their content -- this color advisor quiz -- provides potential customers with the best information and experience.

What are the trends in Search and Content marketing that are exciting for the Conductor team right now?

We’re seeing search become a much bigger part of business strategy across the board. Our customers actually use search data to plan new locations for their businesses and to equip sales teams for new markets. It’s being used by product teams to understand market demand and to name new business lines and functionalities. Corporate teams use search data to craft messaging that will resonate with different audiences.